Karma Tsering Sherpa, one of the presidential candidates of All Nepal Football Association (Anfa), on Sunday said he doubts that the March 28 election will be held on time.

His doubts was based on the “functioning” of the Election Committee and Appeal Committee, a deliberate ploy of the rival faction to postpone the election. “The election regulations should have been endorsed by the general assembly and the executive committee by now. But that hasn’t been done yet,” said Sherpa who will be running for top post with Mani Kunwar, the Anfa senior vice-president and a brother-in-law to the disgraced president Ganesh Thapa.

Sherpa also said that the Appeal Committee endorsed by Anfa Extraordinary Congress on October 9 last year was yet to get official recognition. “It all appears intentional as they (his rival group who currently holds Anfa office) do not want the election to go ahead as announced,” said Sherpa, who led a campaign to raise voice against the now-suspended president Ganesh Thapa. Thapa was banned for 10 years by Fifa in November 2015 on charges of financials irregularities.

Sherpa also did not hesitate to claim his faction as favourite to win the election. Apart from two candidates for the top post, 11 others have filed their candidacy for four vice-presidents post. Among the top agendas of Sherpa include transparency, grassroots development and strengthening A division clubs.

The general assembly of Anfa have 77 votes including one each from 45 district associations and one each from 14 ‘A’ division clubs. The ‘B’ and ‘C’ division clubs will have nine and five votes while four other committees—players, coaches, referee and women commission—will have one vote each.